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Monday, March 28, 2011

I see a lot of news coverage about the snipers and other troops on Afghanistan and Iraq. It seems some of them took pictures of their kills, and maybe some trophies. The civilian populace is shocked! Let me put in my two cents as an old friend, another Master Chief, used to say.

First of all, I am glad we did not have this 24/7/365 news coverage during Viet Nam or other wars. In the Nam, there were some equally shocking practices going on that traded on the Vietnamese fear of dieing without all of your body parts. It seems they were terrified that they could not go into eternal life without all of their body parts. Naturally, the combat troops in Viet Nam capitalized on this and took trophies to scare the VC. Was this good to do? Well, anything that scares your enemy to death is a good thing. Would I expect civilians to understand, no. So, don't tell them. I don't know anyone who sent photos home showing their trophy string of ears on their web belt!

But with 24/7/365 access to the troops, live email home, and a lack of senior enlisted counseling and leadership, stupid things are done.

But, the real point I want to make is this; We send our Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, and Sailors, to Iraq and Afghanistan time and time again. Some of these combat troops have spent 3,4,5, tours in the combat zone. Real gun in the face, combat tours! Have they become desensitized? Definitely! They live, almost constantly, in a state of combat readiness. In country and back in the States. When they are not "in country" they are training to go "in country". That training is realistic to the point of mock villages and mock enemy fighters. Explosions all around to simulate combat. These guys live in a state of Post Traumatic Stress! Look at the suicide rate for the Army, Marines, and Navy. Look at the divorce rate. Both are higher than ever been. The stress we are putting on these men is more than most people will ever endure. We are creating "Fighting Animals". I knew a number of individuals who served 2, and 3 "in country" tours in Viet Nam. One of my very close friends did two tours on River Patrol Boats. One on a PBR the other on a Zippo Boat. He was severely wounded twice. Ten years after his last wounding, they were still digging shrapnel out of him! He had great difficulty relating to civilians and the only thing that kept him from going insane, in my opinion, was the support group he had as a career sailor. He died, not long after he retired with 33 years of service.

If these combat veterans who have seen so much, lived through more Hell than most of us can begin to understand, and have no hope of not doing another tour in Hell, have turned into "combat Animals", it is our fault as a country for demanding this sacrifice from them. I do not find fault in them, They are trained, experienced, efficient, proud, KILLING Machines! We built them, and we better understand that we have to find a way to deactivate them, before they return to society.

I knew a young Marine Sargent (E-5). He was a Squad Leader in Iraq in the beginning of that ground war. He was ambushed, fought valiantly, his entire squad ran out of ammo except for one magazine of 9mm for his side arm. That's 15 rounds between him, the 5 Marines with him, and certain death.By the grace of GOD, the Calvary arrived just in time and rescued him and his men. He told me upon his return just how frightened he was. He also told me, as soon as his enlistment was up, he was gone. Now he was a great young Marine. He made E-5 in less than 4 years, That is fast in the Corps! Yet, he knew the horror of low budget combat and he was not going to do it again.

These wars were both ill-advised, as is the incursion in Libya. But as long as we elect men to Congress and the Presidency that have not served in Combat, we will continue to send our troops into wars, fought for political reasons, and ran by politicians. As long as we must fight with one hand tied behind out backs, we will continue to be involved in protracted, unconstitutional wars, that cause the physical and mental death of our fighting men.

So what if they took a picture of their "kill". Didn't you take a picture of the first deer you killed?! Don't you still have the head stuffed and hanging in the garage, or your den? You don't understand, but it is the same thing to them. Please don't crucify these brave men, resolve to help them when they return. If we turn our back on them, like we did those of the Viet Nam era, we may not have anyone to fight the next war. And the next time, it may really be a war that is in the interest of the United States. It may even be a war for the life of our country!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Last night, before I went to sleep, I was thinking about the great Chiefs that I knew and worked for during my Navy career. I really was blessed to have some great Navy Chief Petty Officers to look on as mentors. I look back at Chief Sadowski, Chief Bobby Garcia, Chief Jim Upton, Senior Chief Garrett, Senior Chief Bruner, Master Chief Bill Mowery, Chief Gary Babcock, (yes he was an FTG, but he was good) and more who's names I can no longer remember. What did they all have in common. They were leaders! They were teachers, mentors, cheer leaders, disciplinarians, coaches, rule makers, rule breakers, and did I mention Leaders!

But what really bothered me as I thought last night, is how things have denigrated in our Navy. I remember Chiefs, good Chiefs, from every rating, with 30+ years of service. They did not want to be a Senior Chief or a Master Chief. Some of them did not even take the test for E-8. That's right, there used to be an E-8 and E-9 test! They need to bring that back! These Chiefs were content, fulfilled, professionally satisfied with being a Navy Chief. The fount of wisdom in their respective professional rating. The point of knowledge for Navy traditions. The "go to" person in the area of personnel relations and leadership. They did not go to the Senior Enlisted Academy. The did not go to college on their off hours. Heck, most of them did not have off hours. I remember when I was a young sailor, if the gun mount was down, (broke) we worked until it was up (fixed)! Weekends, nights, always, until the gun mount was fully operational. No parts, no problem. Go to every ship in the harbor until you find the part. Chief Mowery and I even stole a part for our carrier on the MK 42 Mod 9 gun mount on the USS Stein! You see, there was a complete carrier assembly, sitting behind a fence, at the Naval Supply Center, Long Beach, California. The Chief spotted it, so that night, he parked a truck next to the 10 foot high fence, with barbed wire coils strung on top. I had to get on top of the truck cab, climb over the barbed wire strands, and climb down and then climb back up the carrier, to the carrier control valve block and take out both pressure relief valves. Then, install our broken ones, climb back down, then climb back up the fence, over the three strands of barbed wire on top of the ten foot chain link fence, without the benefit of the pick-up truck cab, and back onto and in the truck for our get away. The gun shot the next day underway! Now in a Navy like that, how can you go to college. I have always had a suspicion of sailors, in sea going ratings, with one or multiple college degrees. My question has always been; When did you do your job. Being a Navy Chief is a 24/7/365 job!

I also knew Chiefs that went from ship to ship, no shore duty, for 20+ years! Most of them lived on the ship, had no car, no apartment, no wife or family. The Navy, the people in their division, were their family! These Chiefs showed the love and caring of a proud father when they lead and looked after their people. But, sadly, that is all gone now. Today's Chiefs have been fed the Pablum of college degrees, Officer's watches, and mandatory "Up or Out" promotion policies. In 1969, in Norfolk, I saw not one, but many, Gold Hash Mark Boatswain Mate Seaman! That's right, BMSN's with three Gold Hash Marks!! I also saw Stewart's Mates, and some other ratings with Gold Hash Marks. I saw Navy Commissary Men, (Cooks, Stew Burners) retire as Third Class with 20 or more years of honorable service! If industry does not require a person to move up or get fired, why does the Navy. I believe a man knows where he best fits based on his abilities and aptitude. As long as that sailor meets or exceeds the requirements for performance of his rate and rating, why fire him. I also remember, in 1969 and 1970, times when they did not give advancement exams for some ratings because there just was no advancement potential. We understood that was just the way it was.

I will give you another point of history. the Preventative Maintenance System, know today as PMS, did not come to be until the late 1960s! Prior to that, the leading technical expert of the system decided the maintenance requirements. In gunnery, we recorded our maintenance on Ordnance History Cards, NAVSUP Form 306. We also kept detail maintenance and casualty logs. When a gun mount was removed for overhaul, all of the documentation was sent along with the gun to the overhaul facility. Gunner's Mates were particular about these logs and prided themselves on their accuracy. We even used them to fix recurring casualties. Why troubleshoot the problem twice. Look in the log FIRST when the gun broke! PMS was supposed to be the "Minimum" maintenance required and the Work Center Supervisor was supposed to increase maintenance as he saw fit. Today, we are lucky if we get the minimum PMS accomplished! Judging from what I have seen over the last 20 years or so, most maintenance is being Gun Decked! When I was a tech rep, a short lived time, I inspected a MK 45 ship that was clearly gin decking Pre-Fire checks!! Now that is dangerous! We used to have PMS inspections that were accomplished by the squadrons, MOTU's or more senior staffs. If you got caught Gun Decking, it was an automatic Captain's Mast and most likely, a reduction in pay grade!! We need to bring that back too!

The reason for this posting was to honor those Chief, who lived a tougher, more dedicated, more productive Navy career. They were paid much less than today's sailors and given fewer awards. Yet, they took better care of their personnel, their equipment, and their ships. They were self-motivated, self-directed, and self-disciplined. So, the next time you are looking at pictures of those who went before you, or are in the VFW or Fleet Reserve, talking to a retired Chief, don't look down you pretty little nose and say that he was "Just" a Chief! You might get that pretty little nose broke.

That is a statement that I detest! The people, men, women, workers, that work UNDER me!! Are they sex surrogates?! Hookers?! Do you have many wives, husbands?! I hear many so called leaders say this everyday. Military, civil servants, private company managers. I even heard it from a discussion leader at a Bible study! The other term, similar in nature is "Below me".

Well, in my 40+ years of leadership, military and civilian, I am proud to say that nobody ever worked under me. To say that someone works under you, gives me the idea that you believe the people who follow your leadership are somehow less intelligent, educated, lower in the social strata, less human, than you! If that is the case, what does that say about your leadership abilities. You can only get ignorant, sub-human, social degenerates to follow you?! Not me, I want the cream of the crop. The well educated, those with initiative, those who bring brilliant thoughts to the discussion, those who will take the lead. Yes, I want to lead the best and the brightest!

Another issues is self-fulfilling prophesy. If you tell the people you work with that they are beneath you, they may begin to believe it. Or they may begin to resent it. Either way, is not good for the success of the organization.

I prefer to look at the team that I am blessed to lead as a group of talented individuals that all bring unique strengths to the table. My responsibility to the team is to capitalize on each member's strength, to make the team as successful as it can be. Everyone is an equal member. Each member has a job. Each member has a responsibility. Each member is equally important to the accomplishment of the goal or mission.

There is an old leadership proverb that goes somewhat like this. Be careful of the toes you step on. They may be attached to the foot, of the leg of the ass that you are required to kiss later in your career. The moral of that proverb is, individuals who works FOR you today, may be your BOSS tomorrow.

Just though I would write about some good leadership methods. I still have it!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Yes, I even have experience with running a school system! When I was the GMG detailer at the Naval Personnel Command in Washington D.C., we lived in base housing at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Virginia. NSWC Dahlgren was a small slice of Americana. It was a small base, in a rural area, surrounded by farm land and forests on three sides and the Potomac River on the other. The Navy used Dahlgren to develop Naval gun systems, test fire gun mounts, test gun barrels, and other ordnance related issues. It grew into the Navy Space Command, the headquarters for the AEGIS Program and other systems related commands. But when we lived there, it was mostly NSWC. I remember when we were recommissioning the Battle Ships, Dahlgren was test firing the 16" gun to work up new load data. Every day, the pictures on the walls would be askew because of the shaking from the gun firing. Cool!

In any case, Dahlgren had, and still has, a Department of Defense school, grades kindergarten through eighth grade. DOD schools are different than any other school system because they do not pay retirement, health care, or any other benefit. There is no tenure. The teachers are hired anew, every year, on a one year contract. The school is administered by a school board, elected from the parents that have children going to that school. Of course, the school has a Principle, who is also year to year, without benefits or tenure. I was elected to that school board and served for 18 months.

Now, you might think that we had troubles getting teachers to teach in a school that did not offer tenure or benefits. The answer to that is a resounding NO! The Dahlgren school was staffed with the most qualified, dedicated, teachers I have ever seen. Their pay and bonuses were based on merit. That is,the performance of their students. We set the pay at $10,000 higher than the highest paid school district, at the time, in Virginia. Then, we paid bonuses, from a budgeted fund, based on each teacher's performance. Did I mention that they did not get sick leave, annual, leave, or personal days?

Every teacher at the Dahlgren school had at least one Masters Degree. Some were specialists in their field. The average time teaching at the Dahlgren school was 25 years! That's right, the teachers loved working at the Dahlgren school. I remember the Second Grade teacher, she had been there 30 years when I met her, and she was happy, the students were doing exceptionally well, and she had no intentions of retiring. Yes, we paid them well. But there was no retirement liability for the DOD after the teacher departed. No health care to pay for into retirement, no issues with sick outs, and no problems getting rid of a teacher that was not teaching. Yes, they were paid well, very well, but each teacher cost considerably less, over the life time of that teacher, than one in the unionized public school system. More important, our students got a better education and were head and shoulders above their public school counter part. I believe this model would work well in neighborhood schools. Imagine empowering the parents with the education of their children and divorcing the government from the requirement to take care of the teacher from hiring to death, and beyond in the case of survivor benefits. I think this is an idea who's time has come.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Earlier this week, I had the best surprise that I have had in a long time. About 1300, someone knocked on my apartment door. I was not really dressed, I was still in my sweat pants and skivey shirt and I had not combed my hair yet. I was certainly not ready for company. So, I looked through the peep hole, and low and behold, there stood Chuck Morton!! Chuck and I made Master Chief on the USS Caron together, back in 1983-84. So I opened the door and let him in. Honestly, I wanted to hug him! He looked just like he did when we were together, a long time ago. How does he do that? Maybe he was pre-maturely aged looking then, and so, he looks young now. Just the same, he looked GREAT. We spent three hours drinking coffee, catching up on each others lives, and telling sea stories. I asked him how he found me? Of course, I knew we had got together on FACEBOOK, but he had been reading this Blog also! I was honored. He actually tracked my address on the computer. Amazing.

Seeing old shipmates is the greatest pleasure I have now. Reliving old memories, sharing the challenges of our lives after the Navy, learning about the lives of other shipmates, gives me great pleasure.

Chuck brought one story to mind, that I had completely forgot. We were on the USS Caron, tied up to the supply piers in Norfolk, our home port. I needed some BL&P ammunition for my 5"/54 cal gun mounts to fire the next underway period. Now, BL&P is totally inert! No explosives at all. They are filled with sand. You could uses the filler to fight oil fires! Get the picture. They are ballistic bricks. Yes they look like real bullets, except they are painted bright BLUE! You can tell they are inert a mile away. Explosive ammo is painted GREEN! Even VT Non-Frag, and anti-aircraft training round, that has a proximity fuse and a marker charge, has numerous white and green stripes and is painted dull blue. In any case, we needed to move a small amount of this ammo, I think 200 rounds. Now each round weighs 75 pounds. We were getting the ammo from another ship, a couple of piers away. No big deal. But, to meet the Naval Station Norfolk Base Ordnance regulations, we had requested a truck from Base Ordnance and a Safety Officer. Yes, I know nothing was going to blow up, but rules are rules. Well, almost!

Base Ordnance could not come, and we were scheduled to get underway that afternoon to shoot, so Chuck and I decided to go and pick up the "Inert" ammo with our trucks. I had a Ford F-150 and Chuck had a Chevy C 10. Both half ton trucks. The ammo took up all the space in the beds of both of our trucks and was stacked above the bed rails. Both trucks were dragging their rear bumpers on the ground, because 100 rounds weight 7500 pounds! Above the rated load of most half ton pick-ups! As we drove back from the providing ship, dragging our bumpers, the Base Ordnance Officer's truck passed us going the opposite direction. I looked in my mirror as he turned on his emergency lights and siren and made a very unsafe "U" turn! We continued the few feet back to the USS Caron, our ship, and started to unload the ammo. The Base Ordnance Officer, a civilian I might add, was jumping up and down, telling me, I cannot transport ammo in a non-approved truck and that I was in violation of a number of Base Ordnance safety rules. So, with about half of the ammo transferred to the Caron, I told everyone to stop, and I said, "OK, I will just take this back to where I got it. The look on his face was hilarious! He turned bright RED, the arteries on his neck stood out, and he was standing on his toes! He said; "NO". I knew that. But I asked him; "then what do you want me to do?" After a long pause, he said with an exasperated sigh; "How much more are you going to move?"I explained to him that this was it and that I would never do anything like this again. He did not reply, got into his truck, slammed the door, and drove off.

As the events unfold in Japan and the electric power company struggles to gain control of the three nuclear reactors, I stand in awe, but not shock, at the bravery displayed by a small group of Japanese engineers and technicians that continue to stay with the reactors and try to cool those units down. They know, that there actions will lead to their death. Just like the helicopter pilot at Chernobyl, who made lift after lift, of concrete to encase the reactor that had melted down. He died soon after his heroic actions, as the individuals in Japan will. Yet, they keep trying. Quit, failure, are not in their minds right now. Just the well being of their countrymen and maybe the world.

That is what bravery is all about. Doing what you know has to be done, regardless of the effects that may befall you. I have seen it many times in my Navy career, in combat and in peace time. I have seen men risk their lives for the ship's safety, their shipmates, safety, and the country. I have also seen individuals take great risk by standing up for what is right, regardless of the consequences that may politically befall their career. Yes, I consider this bravery also. It is easy to go along. To do what you are told, and not try to do what is right. The military has increasing become a political arena. This has been true for the Officer community for longer than we care to remember. Look at what happened to General George Patton. He was a great combat General, but a lousy PR man! It can be said that General MacArthur suffered from the same problem, however, he played politics very well and to his advantage. He just ran up against a bigger politician.

I believe "politics" is now firmly entrenched in the enlisted community. When did it start, 1958! What happened then you may ask. The pay grades of E-8 and E-9 were established. Before that time, the E-7 was the senior enlisted person in any unit. In the Navy, after a Chief served one year, as a "Temporary" Chief, he received his appointment as a "Permanent" Chief. As a "Permanent" Chief, that individual could no longer be reduced in grade buy the ship's Commanding Officer or even a Courts Martial! It is true. When I was the GMG Detailer, I saw the case of a Gunner's Mate Guns Chief, who was convicted in a Courts Martial, for stealing shore power cable and selling it as scrap! He was given 60 days in the brig, a fine, and was recommended for reduction to E-6. The Bureau of Naval Personnel did not uphold the reduction and he remained a Chief! I know, because I talked to him as he was leaving the Brig in San Diego. I assigned him to a ship as the Chief Gunner's Mate.

I say all this, because Chiefs were "Bullet Proof". They would stand up for their men, take risks, make decisions, and work together in the Chief's mess for the betterment of the crew and the ship. They were the "Back Bone" of the Navy. It was said, "The only way you can hurt me with an eval, is to roll it up and stick it in my eye!" In 1958, with the establishment of the Senior and Master Chief rates, Chiefs now had to compete for evaluations, among their peers, for promotion. With the 1980's idea of "Up or Out" we lost a multitude of great Chiefs with irreplaceable experience, at the 24 year mark, because they were not promoted to Senior Chief. Many of the individuals who promoted to E-8 and E-9 were more politically correct. They refrained from fighting for their people, because the Division Officer, Department Head, and the Executive Officer, would write less than stellar remarks on their evals and their chances for promotion to Senior Chief would evaporate! Chiefs, more and more, have taken on the Division Officers job and the jobs of Junior Officers. Chiefs stand underway bridge watches, senior CIC watches, and Senior engineering watches. All of these watches were the jealously guarded realm of the Officer. But now, they get Chiefs to stand these watches. What do the Officers do. Got me. This migration of Chiefs to the Officer watch bill and Officer duties has robbed the junior enlisted community of their mentor, their teacher, and their disciplinarian! Read some of my earlier posts about how I learned from my Chief's after hours, underway, as they told sea stories, showed us skills that we needed, and provided sound career counseling that actually WOULD help us promote. Who is doing that now? No one who know what they are doing, that's for sure.

Now, I do no want to permanently stain all who made Senior and Master Chief. I know individuals who were anything BUT political! They were gruff, tough as nails, Chiefs, who mothered over their people jealously. But the more I see, the more I know, that my view is correct.

I have said it before, and I will say it until I can no longer speak, Chiefs belong in the work spaces, looking around, inspection, checking on maintenance, teaching, mentoring, and correcting minor infractions in military bearing BEFORE they become bad enough to draw the attention of anyone else. It is called, leadership by walking around! As a young GMG3, I never understood why my Chief, Bill Mowery, checked our uniforms 5 days before the personnel inspection, or why he was so tough on haircuts. Later I figured out that he was just being a good Chief! We need Chiefs like Bill now more than ever. Chiefs that are brave enough to be the leaders the Navy needs them to be.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

I have known many, many, enlisted, military men and women during my 20 years of active duty and 20 years as a civil servant for the U.S. Navy. I can tell you, that the individuals I knew were fiercely loyal patriots. Individuals who shed tears when we were attacked on September 11, 2001. Patriots who openly cry at the funeral of a fallen shipmate.

During the second term of President Nixon, he fell into some difficulties because of bad choices and withholding evidence from congress. The President was under siege from the news media and the politicians, from both sides. His future political looked grim. A friend of mine, then Chief James Smith, spent his own money to send a telegram to the President encouraging him to "stand tough in the face of political pressure". This was a bold move. An enlisted man sending a telegram to the President of the United States! Not to mention it was fairly expensive. But Jim wanted to make the point that he was loyal to HIS president. Now, I don't know if Jim voted for Mr. Nixon or not. But, once elected, the President is OUR President. I don't have to like him, but, by oath, I must follow him, to my death, if it comes to that.

The oath enlisted personnel take, every enlistment, states our patriotism. Remember; "I (state your name) do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That I will follow the orders of the President of the United States and the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So Help Me GOD." Pretty lofty language and a very solemn oath.

I bring all this up because of what is going on in Wisconsin. You may or may not agree with the direction that state politics are going up there. That is your prerogative. But, it is Wisconsin's business and the rabble rousers like Mr. Moore, the supposed Reverend Jackson, and the other out of towners, should leave Wisconsin to settle their differences. What the community organizers are doing is insurrection, and as I see it, a direct threat to the Constitution that we swore to "Support and Defend". If everyone there, all the protesters, the individuals that slept in the State House for 10 days, all of them, are Wisconsin citizens, with residences in Wisconsin, and paying taxes to Wisconsin, then I have no problem. If, as the news reports, they are outsiders, sent there to cause disruption to the democratic process, that is an act of sedition and should be dealt with accordingly. Mr. Moore called for all of the students, nation wide, to walk out of school, tomorrow. What the hell do they know, and what investment in Wisconsin politics does a pimple faced, pot heat from Virginia even know about what is going on up there. I will be, $20, most high school students, nation wide, can't even locate Wisconsin on a map, even if the state names are visible! Again, everyone who is not from Wisconsin, sit down and shut up! Let the citizens of Wisconsin settle their issues.

As far as Mr. Moore goes, he stated today that; "This is WAR!". Well, I challenged you before FAT BOY! Bring it on, you and me. You choose the weapons and the place. I will meet you and kick you fat ass, any where, any time. I served my country, loyally, honorably! I earned the right to be an American. You have not and it is time someone shuts you up!! I'm ready, willing, and able. What do you say, Mr. Moore? Chicken?!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Today, my long time best friend, another retired Navy Gunner's Mate, and I took a drive around the Naval Amphibious Base at Little Creek. Yes, I know it was merged with some Army command and now has some politically correct name, but it is NAB Little Creek to me, so stuff it! The first thing I noticed is there are more buildings than ships! Every person over the grade of O-3 must have a building! Yes it's nice to have comfortable working accommodations, but the Navy is supposed to deploy and kill people and wreck things! Who needs a nice, expensive, building at home for that? And the ships, I remember when Little Creek was wall to wall Gator Freighters! There were very few ships there and not ONE that could defend itself from a drunk Arab! We saw the PC with their 57mm guns. Wow. We built a ship to carry 57mm guns. The Marine Corps has one in each rifle squad with one Marine carrying it! It's no bigger than todays M-4. True!! Google the XM57. Another thing I noticed again is no one looked like a sailor! Those stupid little girl, powder blue, camo uniforms. Who are they hiding from, and it what environment, a bedroom?Then we ate lunch in one of the few CPO messes left in existence. The Little Creek Chief's Club used to be a vibrant club, with a friendly atmosphere, good food, and shipmates to talk to. Now, the Chiefs are relegated to the foot print of the old CPO Stag Bar area. The food was all right, but the company left something to be desired. Not one rowdy, passionate discussion about weapons, damage control, combat, wild liberty, or getting drunk! No one looked like they could fight they way out of a wet paper bag. Yes, I am sure they can all run 1.5 miles in the required time to get an excellent. And yes, I am sure they can all touch their toes and do sit ups. But can the do them after being up for 72 hours and coming off an all night drunken bender! Chiefs used to be tough, salty, gnarly, bastions of rugged individualism. Now, they are junior officers, licking the Commanding Officer's boots and worrying about fitness reports. Chief's used to teach junior officers the way of the sea, now they go to tea parties! Some of you may say, I am wrong and the past is the past. You may say that we don't need that kind of Chief anymore, that we are a more technical Navy. A kinder and gentler Navy. Tell that to the Muslims that want to torture and kill us. Do you want someone in a powder blue suit, with blue suede boots, who is worried about breaking a nail coming to your rescue? Or would you like some rough, tough, foul mouthed, beer breathed, heathen dressed in dirty wash khakis, to come to your rescue? I believe you know the answer. But, you can't have it both ways. So decide; Limp wristed and polite, or rough, smelly, and rude. Again, your choice. I know where my trust is.

And... While I am on the topic of useless! Why is there a Navy Band, a Navy Drill team, Navy Drum and Bugle? All enlisted! If having those things is so important, why don't we have an Officer's Glee Club, or Dance Band? Huh?!? I'll tell you why. It's the officer's way of parading out the stupid enlisted folks and showing that they CAN be trained to do something officers see valuable to society. BUT, only when led by an officer and in a controlled environment!! You budget cutting politicians, if you want to save money, get rid of these wastes of funding, time, and manpower. We don't need piccolo player to defeat the Muslims. We need fighting MEN!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

OK, I have been sitting here for long enough, chewing my tongue, trying not to flame spray the Liberals, Progressive, Socialist, Left leaning, individuals of our country. People like Michael Moore, the Clinton's, Colon Powell, and others that have America and the American dream ALL WRONG. Today, Michael Moore was quoted as saying the money of the rich is a national asset that should be taken from them! Just how does he think they got that money?! Someone earned it. Either the rich individual or someone in his family. Yes, some exceptionally good looking women marry into wealth, but they still earn it. Just ask one of them who is sleeping with some dog ugly, over weight. pig who treats them like a possession instead of a partner! Did you ever notice that 99% of these left wing nuts have NEVER served this country in Uniform?! Yes, Colon Powell has, but I venture to guess he never got his hands dirty or had to duck an enemy round!

I myself, spent 40 years in the direct, combat, service of the USA. I grew up lower middle class, made some money, paid taxes on every cent, and saved a large amount of it. My wife worked outside the home and inside the home, while enduring long deployments, training evolutions, cross country moves, and pay low enough to qualify for FOOD STAMPS until I made E-8! If that fat, leftist, pig, Moore, wants what little we have saved for our retirement, I challenge him to come by my place and try to take it from me. I promise, he will not like the outcome.

It is time that the "salt of the earth" Americans tell the politicians, the news media, and Hollywood just where their bread is buttered! Do you remember when Jane Fonda committed TREASON in North Viet Nam, while we were at war and American fighting men were being held prisoners in North Viet Nam and China? I know a POW that personally told me that when that happened, their torture was INCREASED! In any case, I have not watched a Jane Fonda movie, purchased a video or book written by that traitorous bitch since her treason. Have I hurt her pocket book, probably not. Why, because the rest of you lilly livered pansies kept supporting her! President Bush said after 911, you are either for us or against us. Well, I feel that way about America. If you don't like the way our Constitution is written, if you don't like our GOD, if you don't like the way we do things; The pack you shit and leave!

As Americans, real Americans, the ones who fight this countries wars, pay it's taxes, and do all the things that the left leaning, progressive, socialists can't or won't do, (yes US); It's time we take control of our country, it's policies, and it's direction! SO, STAND UP AMERICANS! It's time to LEAD, FOLLOW, or GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY!

PS: I got so fired up, I forgot to make my final point. Stop supporting these people who don't like America! Don't buy their products. Don't watch the television shows they sponsor. Write letters to you Congressmen, your Senators, the President, and tell them what they are doing wrong and what you expect them to do about it. Write letters to newspapers and magazines doing the same thing. Write letters to the advertisers, telling them why you won't purchase their products. Actively campaign against the politicians that want to take your hard earned money and give to someone who "Chooses not to work". That is a DIRECT QUOTE from Brenda McCormick, the founder of Mothers Inc., a group that collected money, food, clothing, and shelter for people who refused to work. Her words were exactly; "Some people CHOOSE not to work and it is the responsibility of those who DO work, to provide for those who choose not to work. She had a Master's Degree in Education, was able bodied, but chose not to work. "Bull S***! If you don't work, you don't eat! It's time to clean out the gene pool! Are there people that cannot work, because of mental or physical deficiency, YES. Should they be provided for? Yes, with conditions. What conditions? Sober, no drugs, NO MORE Children, and then, only at a basic subsistence level. We have fourth and fifth generation welfare families! Where has all the "Great Society" money gone? I'll tell you, down a rat hole! If you are on welfare, you should not have a car, a cell phone, fake finger nails, fancy hair styles, big screen televisions, beer, wine, fermented whiskey, drugs, illegitimate children, or fun! People who don't work are better off than those who do work, in some cases.

The bottom line is, the progressives are ruining America just like thy ruined Europe. We need to stop it. But, we need to be brave enough to stand up for what we believe in! No more "Politically Correct" speak! We need to tell the truth, and if it offends someone, so be it! Are you afraid to do that, then you are as bad as the people who are trying to ruin America, maybe worse. Good people must stop evil people from doing bad things! So, again I say, Lead, Follow, or get the HELL out of the way.